There were 21 goals scored across seven game centres in the Premier League on Saturday, with four home wins and three away victories, champions Manchester City maintained their 100 percent record while city rivals Manchester United broke another record for the wrong reason.
Manchester United
Manchester United have lost three of their opening five games of a Premier League season for the first time in the competition’s history as impressive Brighton secured a fourth consecutive league win over United.
The Red Devils slipped to an embarrassing 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Seagulls on Saturday at Old Trafford, Former United striker Danny Welbeck gave the visitors the lead at Old Trafford before Rasmus Hojlund had an equaliser controversially ruled out. Gross and Joao Pedro both found the net in the second half.
Erik Ten Hag, after the game said his players have to do better deflating insinuation that his team is in crisis.
He said: “Crisis is not a fair word about where we are. This was not our day. But we have to be very disappointed and very annoyed with ourselves because at United the demand is you win games.
“Today, I saw we played well, and if you analyze the first half it’s crazy. We started well and created chances. On their second attack and with their first chance it’s in, but we have to do better.”
Manchester City
It was a game of two halves at the London Stadium, as dominant Manchester City couldn’t break a resilient West Ham United, despite registering 17 shots to goal before the break, they could not find a way past Areola in between the sticks for the Hammers.
James Ward-Prowse’s diving header gave the Hammers the lead against the run of play, but Doku’s first City goal restored parity 43 seconds into the second half.
The trajectory of Pep Guardiola’s men after Doku’s goal was skywards, as Silva collected Julian Alvarez’s looping ball over the top of the West Ham defense before he calmly lobbed the ball past the onrushing Alphonse Areola.
The Norwegian Haaland, who had spurned several earlier chances to put the game to bed, completed the comeback at London Stadium with a trademark finish.
Guardiola back in the City dugout, was impressed with the performance of Doku said: “I would say that the first game (against Fulham) he was shy, but today he was not. He was a proper winger, having the ball and having the ability to go one-on-one.
“Not just that – he has the quality to read when to make the pass for the next player. I was very happy. It was a very good performance from Jeremy.”
Liverpool
Three Premier League clubs remain unbeaten after five games the Reds are one of them, accumulating 13 points from a possible 15 after five games.
Egyptian Mo’Salah inspired Liverpool to an amazing coming back at Molineux to end Liverpool early kick-off curse.
Liverpool played six Premier League games at the Saturday 12:30pm kick-off slot last season, and they didn’t win a single one. There were three draws and three defeats, with Liverpool scoring just three goals.
Liverpool had a huge mental battle to overcome in the early kick-off after falling behind to a Hwang Hee-chan strike seven minutes into the first half, he however recovered right on time to take all three points in stunning style on their return to Premier League duty.
The Reds equalized when Mohamed Salah’s cross was put away by Cody Gakpo – and Liverpool did not rest on their laurels as they pushed for a winner.
They had to wait until the 85th minute to find the all-important second goal when Robertson tucked the ball home after playing a one-two with Salah.
Liverpool wrapped up the win in added time as Harvey Elliott’s strike took a deflection off Hugo Bueno and flew into the net.
Salah’s two assists mean he has now provided more Premier League assists (63) than any other African player in the competition’s history, breaking Riyad Mahrez’s record.
Jurgen Klopp said: “The good thing about a first half like that is that it was so bad that I didn’t think we could play a second half like that, to be honest.
“Obviously we wanted to start very differently but for whatever reasons it was not possible for some of the boys.
“We had low energy levels, so we thought we’d change one player to give us a bit more natural speed up front and we got control of the game better.
“The first half was really bad and the second half was really good. Do I want to see that every week? No, but I’ll take it today. It’s a massive three points.”
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